Petunia plant named ‘RF13871’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Petunia  plant named ‘RF13871’, characterized by its compact, mounding and outwardly spreading to trailing plant habit; freely branching habit; early and freely flowering habit; dark purple-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Petunia×hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘RF13871’.

CROSS-REFERENCED TO CLOSELY-RELATED APPLICATIONS

Title: Petunia Plant Named ‘RF13872’

Applicant: Tobias Dümmen

Filed: Concurrently Ser No. 12/807,244

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Petunia plant, botanically known as Petunia×hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘RF13871’.

The new Petunia plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Rheinberg, Germany. The objective of the breeding program is to create new compact Petunia cultivars with numerous unique and attractive flowers.

The new Petunia plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor on Jan. 1, 2010 in Rheinberg, Germany of a proprietary selection of Petunia×hybrida identified as code number T04-0067-007, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Petunia×hybrida identified as code number F-02-22, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Petunia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Rheinberg, Germany on Jun. 1, 2010.

Asexual reproduction of the new Petunia plant by terminal cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Rheinberg, Germany since June, 2010, has shown that the unique features of this new Petunia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Petunia have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘RF13871’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘RF13871’ as a new and distinct Petunia plant:

-   -   1. Compact, mounding and outwardly spreading to trailing plant         habit.     -   2. Freely branching habit.     -   3. Early and freely flowering habit.     -   4. Dark purple-colored flowers.     -   5. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. Plants of the new Petunia differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in flower color.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of the male parent selection. Plants of the new Petunia differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in plant size as plants of the new Petunia are more compact than plants of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of the Petunia×hybrida ‘RF13872’, disclosed in U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 12/807,244. Plants of the new Petunia are larger than plants of ‘RF13872’. In addition, plants of the new Petunia have smaller flowers than plants of ‘RF13872’.

Plants of the new Petunia can also be compared to plants of the Petunia×hybrida ‘Duepotdared’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 21,704. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Rheinberg, Germany plants of the new Petunia differed primarily from plants of ‘Duepotdared’ in flower color as plants of ‘Duepotdared’ had dark red-colored flowers. In addition, plants of the new Petunia were larger than plants of ‘Duepotdared’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Petunia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Petunia plant. The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘RF13871’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the summer in 10.5-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in Rheinberg, Germany and under typical Petunia production practices. During the production of the plants, day and night temperatures averaging 18° C. and light levels averaging 4,500 lux. Plants were pinched one time three weeks after planting and were 16 weeks old when the photograph and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Petunia×hybrida ‘RF13871’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Petunia×hybrida identified as code number T04-0067-007, not             patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Petunia×hybrida identified as code number F-02-22, not             patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About five days at             temperatures of 20° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About seven days at             temperatures of 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three             weeks at temperatures of 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four             weeks at temperatures of 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Compact, mounding and outwardly             spreading to trailing growth habit; freely branching habit             with about eight to ten lateral branches developing after             pinching; moderately vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 22 cm.         -   Plant diameter.—About 30 cm. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Length.—About 24 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 4 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 3.3 cm.         -   Strength.—Moderately strong.         -   Aspect.—Initially upright to outwardly spreading.         -   Texture.—Pubescent.         -   Color.—Close to 144A to 144B. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Before flowering, alternate, simple; after             flowering, opposite, simple.         -   Length.—About 6.1 cm.         -   Width.—About 3.1 cm.         -   Shape.—Spatulate.         -   Apex.—Obtuse.         -   Base.—Attenuate.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent; leathery.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; arcuate.         -   Color.—Developing and fully expanded leaves, upper surface:             Close to 137A; venation, close to 144B. Developing and fully             expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 137C; venation,             close to 144B.         -   Petiole length.—About 1 cm.         -   Petiole diameter.—About 4.2 mm.         -   Petiole texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent.         -   Petiole color, upper and lower surfaces.—Close to 144B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Large salverform flowers;             single flowers arising from leaf axils; freely flowering             habit with usually about 25 to 30 open flowers and flower             buds per plant; flowers face mostly upright to outwardly.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants flower continuously from             spring into autumn in Germany; early flowering habit, plants             typically beginning flowering about nine weeks after             planting.         -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about five to six             days on the plant; flowers persistent.         -   Flower diameter.—About 5.4 cm.         -   Flower depth (height).—About 4.2 cm.         -   Flower throat diameter.—About 1 cm.         -   Flower tube diameter.—About 3 mm.         -   Flower tube length.—About 3 cm.         -   Flower bud.—Shape: Ovoid. Length: About 3.1 cm. Diameter:             About 5.5 mm. Color: Close to 187A.         -   Corolla.—Arrangement: Five petals fused at the base and             opening into a flared trumpet. Petal lobe length (from             throat): About 2.6 cm. Petal lobe width: About 2.9 cm. Petal             shape: Roughly spatulate to rounded. Petal apex: Rounded.             Petal margin: Entire. Petal texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Rippled, glabrous. Throat texture: Rippled,             glabrous. Tube texture: Rippled, pubescent. Color: Petal             lobe, when opening and fully opened, upper surface: Close to             187A; venation, close to 187A. Petal lobe, when opening and             fully opened, lower surface: Close to 187A; venation, close             to 144B. Flower throat: Close to 187A; venation, close to             187A. Flower tube: Close to 187A; venation, close to 187A.         -   Calyx.—Arrangement: Star-shaped calyx tube with five sepals             per flower; sepals fused at the base. Sepal length: About             1.8 cm. Sepal width: About 6 mm. Sepal shape: Oblong. Sepal             apex: Rounded. Sepal margin: Entire. Sepal texture, upper             and lower surfaces: Smooth. Color, immature and mature,             upper surface: Close to 137A. Color, immature and mature,             lower surface: Close to 137C.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 3.1 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Strength: Moderately strong. Texture: Smooth. Color: Close             to 144A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity: Five per flower.             Filament length: About 1.9 cm. Filament color: Close to             145C. Anther shape: Ovate. Anther length: About 2.5 mm.             Anther color: Close to 1A. Pollen amount: Abundant. Pollen             color: Close to 12A. Pistils: Quantity: One per flower.             Pistil length: About 2.2 cm. Style length: About 1.8 cm.             Style color: Close to 144C. Stigma shape: Rounded. Stigma             color: Close to 144A. Ovary color: Close to 144A.             Seed/fruit: Seed and fruit development have not been             observed on plants of the new Petunia. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Petunia have been observed to     have good garden performance and tolerate wind, rain and     temperatures ranging from about 5° C. to about 40° C. -   Pathogen/pest resistance: Plants of the new Petunia have not been     observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Petunia. 

1. A new and distinct Petunia plant named ‘RF13871’ as illustrated and described. 